


Cherry Cordial Blitz

by ZiriO



Series: The Miraculous Adventures of Cutie Bee and Chat Noir [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Chloé Bourgeois as Scarlet Lady, Episode: s01 Dislocœur | Dark Cupid, Episode: s01 Le Dessinateur | The Evillustrator, Episode: s02 Gorizilla, F/M, Jealous Adrien Agreste, Kwami Swap, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Is Not Ladybug, Miel Noir, Oblivious Adrien Agreste, Oblivious Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Reverse Crush (Miraculous Ladybug)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-03-12
Packaged: 2019-10-27 14:51:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17768837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZiriO/pseuds/ZiriO
Summary: Adrien was just a boy struggling with his loneliness, while Cutie Bee harbored a fondness for her black-clad partner that grew with every time she donned her stripes. Before that fateful night in December, what was it that spun things in their favor? Simple little things, like a red thread woven through hearts and hands, wrapped tighter with laughter and secret smiles. Battles fought side-by-side and nights spent on moonlit rooftops. Little things that built like an avalanche, like a tidal wave that swept them up and sent them crashing into each other, sweet as chocolates and cherries.





	1. Lemon Sherbet and Licorice

**Author's Note:**

  * For [RoseGardenTwilight](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoseGardenTwilight/gifts).



> For RGT, may your Valentine's be super sweet, I hope you love it bb!
> 
> Happy Valentine's Day, starshines~! Once again, it's ZiriO, coming to you with a fresh dose of lovesquare hijinks and the latest adventures of Cutie Bee and her favorite Chat! I actually had half of this written by the time I posted the end of Honey Bubble Tea, and I'm really excited to share it. For a while I was agonizing over what to write, when something MiniMinou said really inspired me, and I knew I wanted to explore the dynamics of Cutie Bee and Chat's relationships. So this story is how the lovesquare starts to build in the Cutie Bee universe, so I hope you all enjoy seeing how the different sides of the lovesquare take shape! Many thanks to MiniMinou, TOG84, HariWrites, and all the others I went screaming to for an extra set of eyeballs when I started getting nervous that this was going sideways. Y'all are the best!
> 
> So without further ado, please enjoy! What started Adrien down the slippery slope to smitten kittenhood? Stay tuned to find out!

Adrien groaned, rubbing his face as he slumped against the windowsill and tried to ignore the ugly twisting feeling in his stomach. His birthday had been a disaster. The one time he got a party, it was because his best friend had been akumatized, and he’d had to spend the afternoon fighting him. Even worse was the mud frosting and blackened cherry to top off his trash heap of a proverbial cake, his father had, yet again, not bothered to get him anything. He micromanaged Adrien’s life, but couldn’t be bothered to remember his own son’s birthday. _Go figure_. Not even Plagg was managing to find a way to cheer Adrien up, and he was a moment away from simply calling it a night and going straight to bed when there was a knock on his window.

Startling out of his ugly thoughts, Adrien stared in shock at the figure crouched on the other side of his window, gold and black in the sunset, worry pinching her features. Hurrying to push it open, he shook his head as if trying to clear it. Of all the people he hadn’t expected to see, the bee hero was definitely one of them.

“Cutie Bee! Wha-what are you doing here?” He boggled, stepping back to let her swing her legs in, perching on his windowsill and letting her feet dangle. After a moment, she let out a soft sigh.

“I’m sorry about your birthday, I heard about what happened. Are you doing okay?” Letting her hands rest lightly on her knees, she watched him, her expression soft and sympathetic. For a moment he almost forgot they were supposed to be strangers, the urge to sigh and slump against her like they usually did after a long night cleaning up after Scarlet Lady was surprisingly strong. Raking his hand through his hair, he shrugged, unsure what to do about the mess his day had turned into.

“I guess, I was just hoping it’d be different.” He glared down at his feet, leaning back against the wall as he settled in next to her. After a moment of silence, she reached out and gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze, and in the end, he covered her fingers with his own.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Her words were surprisingly gentle, and he found the hot sting of disappointment building in his eyes, making him pinch the bridge of his nose to ward off whatever tears were trying to spill over. He didn’t want to show how frustrated he was by it all. Cutie Bee was sweet but this was embarrassing. It didn’t seem to stop her from rubbing his back anyway. What could it hurt to tell her? At least then he wouldn’t be stuck feeling so miserable about it, and that was one less thing for Papillon to akumatize him for.

“Did you hear that it was my first birthday party?” His words were quiet, and he didn’t miss the way her free hand flew to her mouth, the other squeezing his shoulder.

“I hadn’t. I’m so sorry, Adrien.” The fact that she knew his name didn’t even surprise him, his face was plastered on half the billboards in Paris. Cutie slipped off the windowsill, landing lightly beside him, and he let her pull him into a hug. She smelled so sweet, and it made him think of the small cake he’d found from Marinette as he buried his nose in the soft fluffy collar of her suit. It wasn’t _quite_ fur, but he didn’t question it, only taking comfort in the feel of it against his cheek and how she didn’t mind when he hugged her tightly. Cutie Bee always had some of the best hugs, her soft buzzing was almost as soothing as his purrs, her hand rubbing his back.

“Père didn’t even remember it was my birthday.” He choked, trying to stifle the wetness building in his eyes, and Cutie Bee only held him tighter. If she noticed he’d started to cry in spite of his efforts, she didn’t say anything, only rubbed his back until his grip on her began to relax. When he stepped back, she brushed his cheeks with her thumbs to wipe away the evidence of his tears, her brows furrowing with a soft but somehow determined smile.

“I can’t even begin to understand what you’re going through, but I just want you to know it’s going to be okay. Even fighting Bulleur I could tell your friends care about you very much. I can’t change how today turned out, but I hope that things will only get better from here.” She tipped her head, her pigtail stingers twitching, and he couldn’t help but give her a watery smile at the hopeful look in her eyes.

“Thanks, Cutie Bee.” He chuckled softly at the way her ribbons and pigtails would wriggle a little as she moved, and the fact that she was trying her best to comfort a total stranger. It wasn’t much, but it meant a lot as she gave his shoulders a squeeze.

“Anytime, Adrien. Try and get some sleep. You’ve got school in the morning, don’t you?” She hummed, smirking playfully as she stepped back, her hands clasping behind her back. His cheeks flushed as he raked his hand through his hair at the back of his head.

“Yeah, I probably should try. I think I’ll sleep much better now, so...thanks again.” He smiled, and was relieved to realize he meant it. Cutie Bee gave him a playful wink and a two-fingered salute as she hopped back to his windowsill.

“Just give a call if you ever need it, Adrien! Your friends probably wouldn’t mind if you ever need someone to talk to. Cutie out!” With a flick of her wrist, his window was empty, a flicker of gold and black streaking across the sky. He watched her disappear across the city skyline with a smile, though he couldn’t help but be a _little_ puzzled.

He’d thought Cutie had a stutter, but she’d talked to him just fine this whole time. _Huh_.

* * *

As Marinette dropped into her room from her skylight, she glanced at Pollen, her mouth pursed tight as her brows furrowed into a deep scowl. While she’d known Adrien hadn’t really been able to celebrate with friends before simply because he hadn’t had many more than Chloe, she hadn’t realized just how bad it was. The look on his face as she’d settled on his windowsill ate at her, and a knot had formed in her stomach at the way Adrien had cried. No one deserved a day like that, and if she had anything to say about it, he wasn’t going to be stuck with it either.

“Pollen, I think I’ve got an idea.” Marinette hummed as she slid off the edge of her bed, crossing the room to her supplies bin, flipping the lid open. Pollen’s antennae flicked upward, a beaming smile spreading across her face as she flitted to her Chosen’s side, peering into the bin as Marinette dug through things, setting fabric swatches and yarn skeins aside as she discarded them for something better. Seeing her so productive warmed the kwami from head to tiny paws.

“It’s going to be a long night but Adrien needs our help. We’ve got to make things right.” When Marinette glanced up at her, her eyes were flashing with determination, and Pollen buzzed happily.

“Of course, my queen!” Rubbing her cheek against her Chosen’s, Pollen settled in atop Marinette’s dark hair to watch her young queen bustle, fingers flying in an intricate dance, the pattern building as neat and pretty as a honeycomb lattice. Perfect as always!

* * *

“Oh man, I am so sorry dude. I totally messed the day up for you.” Nino dragged his cap down over his face, groaning into it even as Adrien shook his head.

“No, it’s totally fine, Nino. You tried to make things better, it wasn’t your fault père didn’t remember my birthday and kicked you out.” Even after sleeping on it, the fact still stung, but it was worse seeing Nino feel guilty for things going from bad to worse and beating himself up over it. “If anything, it’s Papillon’s fault, not yours.”

“I guess so. It’s still a bummer.” Nino slumped in his seat, folding his arms to rest his chin on, gazing dully at the blackboard at the front of the class. All Adrien could do was nod in silent agreement as he leaned back in his seat. Cutie Bee’s words had helped a little last night when he finally relaxed enough to fall into bed, chasing away the sickening twisting feeling in his stomach. Even so, he felt drained and the events of the whole day still seemed to be sapping the color out of his morning no matter what he did. Why did his father manage to ruin almost everything without even seeming to care?

No, it wasn’t good to dwell on it like that, he was just adding more fuel to Papillon’s fires. Rubbing his hands over his face, he didn’t hear the door open or see Marinette trip her way inside. Though the shadow passing over his desk made him pull his hands away after a moment’s pause. Hovering shyly at the edge of his desk, dark circles under her eyes and a sleepy smile on her face. Marinette looked _awful_. What had happened to her last night? Before he could ask, she held out a pale blue box with a delicate pink ribbon, her smile twitching a little wider.

“Marinette, what’s this?” Adrien took the package, stunned as he looked it over then back up at her as she shrugged and rocked on the balls of her feet.

“Well, after how everything turned out yesterday, I thought maybe you’d want something to cheer you up so I made this for you. I hope you like it.” Biting her lip, a faint self-conscious flush spread across her face and Adrien was quick to open the present, his heart pounding against his ribs. Tissue paper pushed aside, he let out a quiet sound of surprise as a smile slowly spread across his face. The yarn was soft to the touch, and his favorite shade of blue. Lifting it out, his grin only grew wider.

“Marinette, you made this?” He glanced up at her, and she ducked her head, nodding a little as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Something about the gesture had his chest squeezed tight, the scarf tangling in his hands as he held it close. She’d made it after the party. She looked _awful._ A jumble of emotions filled him as his mind began to race. “Did...did you stay up to make this?”

“Only a little.” She shrugged, looking a little more embarrassed. Somehow he had a feeling it was _much_ longer than ‘only a little,’ if the way she hastily stifled a yawn was anything to go by. The scarf still smelled of the bakery, warm and sweet and suddenly the day was looking so much better than it had earlier, his heart feeling like it was a moment away from bursting. He swallowed around a rising lump in his throat, his cheeks feeling hot.

“You’re amazing, thank you.” He wanted to pull her into a hug, knowing he’d probably never let her go if he did as his stomach did a little flip at the pleased flush on her face. “This is one of the best presents I’ve ever gotten.” If not _the_ best, and she just giggled sleepily and he could have soared at the way the sound filled him up.

“I’m glad you like it, I was a little worried it wasn’t your style.” She scratched her cheek and he wanted to yell into the scarf, how was she so cute?

“No, no! It’s fine, I love it. Thank you.” The words spilled out of him in a rush, and it took everything he had not to watch her step past him to get to her seat. The scarf felt warm and heavy in his lap, and it was leaving an equally soothing weight where earlier his heart had felt hollow and cold moments before. Just when he thought things couldn’t get worse, his luck had flipped on its head, and he found his steps light as he went through the rest of the day, the scarf as warm as a hug, smelling sweet as sugar.

Yet when he thought things couldn’t get better, the next day Marinette walked into class moments before the bell, yawning noisily only to give him a blinding smile that pierced him right through the heart. If she hadn’t snatched it from his chest already, the warm croissant she left on his desk certainly would have. Day after day, almost without fail, no matter how tired she looked, she brought him something small and warm to eat in the mornings, leaving him speechless and tight-chested, stammering his thanks as his tongue tied itself in tighter knots.

He had to do something nice for her! He _had_ to! But what could he do for a girl who was as amazing and unfailingly sweet as Marinette Dupain-Cheng? Chewing his lip, his fingers rapped against the desk as his thoughts raced, he’d have to come up with _something_ , she deserved nothing but the best.


	2. Dark Chocolate Lemon Twist

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just when Marinette works up the courage to confess to her favorite hero, a heartwrenching new akuma hits the scene to keep Chat Noir and Cutie Bee on their toes! Will their friendship be enough to keep them safe, or will one of the heroes have to be clever to thwart the black-hearted cherub? With everything on the line, it seems that trusting one's instincts will be what makes or breaks hearts this Valentine's Day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good timezone, starshines~! Yet again, it is I, ZiriO, bringing even MORE Cutie Bee and Chat Noir hijinks to an Ao3 near you! RGT was having a rough day, so y'all give her some love because she deserves it. In the meantime, I'm going to give a shout to the amazing MiniMinou who puts the sparkle in my glitter dust by editing this for me until it's dazzlingly brilliant. I know I said I was going to wait until Monday to post things but ehhhhhh, I figured y'all wouldn't mind.
> 
> SO ENOUGH CHATTER, HAVE AT YOU! Please enjoy and fasten your seatbelts, for things are about to get super sticky for our dynamic duo! What will happen when they battle the dreaded Dislocœur? Will Marinette confess to the person she loves? Will Alya get any juicy pics of our adorable heroes? Will I ever stop writing author notes that read like a Saturday morning cartoon narration? Tune in next time to find out!

Marinette was anxiously fidgeting with her valentine, turning the paper over and over and wondering how on earth she was supposed to get it to Chat Noir. It wasn’t as if she could simply hand it to him. She’d dissolve into a mess the moment he looked at her. Maybe if she gave it to him as Cutie Bee, then things would be easier.

The only problem was if she did that, then things would get awkward, he’d probably reject her and hate her forever, and she’d have to leave Paris completely and go join a convent and everything would be a complete disaster. Or, he’d reject her, tell her it would never work between them because they were just too different, or because they could never know one another outside of the masks, which Pollen had been warning her about even when she was writing it and Alya had been saying the same thing, and honestly that convent was looking like the best option at the moment. The only problem was Alya was right behind her and refusing to let her turn around and run as far from the post box as possible.

“But how am I supposed to _get_ it to him, Alya? I can’t just _wait around_ until the next akuma attack or whenever he’s supposed to show up next!” Marinette knew she was whining, but she couldn’t bring herself to stop, her anxiety making her hands tremble so hard she was going to drop the envelope.

“Get it together! He and Cutie Bee must get a ton of fan mail somehow, right? So just send it and the post will have to find a way to get it to him. It’s fine, just don’t be such a weirdo about it.” Alya grinned, but even with that, Marinette couldn’t bring herself to put it in the mail.

“Ugh, I don’t know what’s worse, the idea of it getting _lost_ or the idea that he’d get it! I can’t do this!” She tried to make a break for it, but Alya simply caught her by the back of her jacket and tsked, plucking the envelope from her hands before she could crush it and flapped it in front of Marinette’s nose.

“Fine! Don’t sweat it, I’ll hand it to him next chance I see him, then.” She grinned, mischief sparking in her eyes as she held the envelope out of Marinette’s reach. Realizing what Alya had done, Marinette tried to snatch it back with a squeak of dismay. “I see him all the time, and unlike _some_ space cadets, I always cite my sources, so I’ll make sure to let him know where it comes from.”

“Alya, that’s not fair—!” The arrow narrowly missed Marinette’s ear, striking Alya dead center over her heart, leaving her staggering as it dissolved into her skin. Horror had Marinette clapping her hands to her mouth as Alya shuddered, and she chanced a glance behind her only to see something massive swoop past with black and red wings.

“Oh _no!_ ” She didn’t even have time to turn back when something slapped against the back of her head, leaving her flinching from the feeling of something sticky pulling at her hair and the nape of her neck.

“Oh you’re a _riot!_ A loser like you having even a _chance_ with Chat Noir? Give me a break!” Alya sneered, the playful look in her eyes gone, only leaving a spiteful gleam as she nearly knocked Marinette to the ground before shredding the valentine and throwing the tattered pieces in her face.

“Even that filthy alley cat can do better than a wreck like you!” Then she was gone, leaving Marinette staring after her as Alya’s suddenly sinister-sounding laugh echoed loudly in her head.

“Pollen, what’s going on…?” Too stunned to cry, Marinette had to shake herself out of stupor, darting for the nearest alcove to transform in as she wrenched the candied apples from her hair. Now wasn’t the time to just stand around gawking when there were Akumas around!

* * *

Chat watched the mayhem unfold on the streets beneath his perch, crouched low on a rooftop. Leaning around a balcony railing, his tail lashed as he tried to make sense of the fights breaking out below. From the shouting it seemed like angry couples, but he’d yet to catch sight of the akuma itself. Claws rapping against stone in agitation, he leaned out farther when his ears twitched at the sound of bandalore wire. A flicker of surprise ran through him as he perked up, glancing around in puzzlement at the thought that Scarlet might have arrived. Relief flooded him when black and yellow flicked across the edge of his vision, Cutie Bee landing lightly on the rooftop nearby and running to duck under cover next to him.

“Sweet of you to fly in just in the nick of time as always, Cutie!” He grinned, honestly glad to see her. Still her face went red beneath her mask, eyes going wide as she glanced up at him, her stingers twitching as she ducked her head almost shyer than ever.

“I-it’s see to good you too—I mean, nice to sweet you—ugh!” Before he could stop her, she’d smacked her forehead against the wall in frustration, scrubbing her face with a groan.

“Take your time, it’s okay.” He purred, his tail curling around her as he set a hand on her shoulder, rubbing gently. Cutie Bee’s tongue got notoriously tangled, but it was always worse at the beginning of a battle before she hit her stride. Somehow in a fight she was calm and collected, and could make lightning calculations to turn the fights in their favor, even to the point of helping Scarlet use her Lucky Charm (even if Scarlet rarely listened, much to Cutie’s frustration). Yet when it was just them, Cutie Bee was almost incoherent at times, buzzing and flapping her hands the more flustered she became.

“Deep breaths, honey bee.” He waited, and she screwed her eyes tightly shut as she took a deep breath before trying again.

“Good to see you too, Chat. I think I know what the Akuma is.” Cutie’s face scrunched in concentration, and his ears and tail twitched in surprise.

“Really? What is it?” He couldn’t hide the shock. The akuma hadn’t even been attacking for more than ten minutes and she’d already discovered its weaknesses? Pride burned hot in his chest as he beamed at her, relaxing back on his heels. If Cutie had already figured things out, this fight was going to be a piece of cake.

“He’s a student from one of the local schools. The brooch on his sash was supposed to be a gift to someone, but things must have gone wrong. I’m sure that’s where the Akuma is!” She made a quick motion with her hand, crossing her chest, her fingers rapping against her collarbone as if to mimic the placement of the pin.

“Cutie, you’re amazing! How’d you figure all that out?” He grinned, and Cutie got one look at him before ducking her head, her face flushing all the more as she tugged at her bangs. Fidgeting with her hair, she simply shrugged, glancing up at him out of the corner of her eye before hiding behind her bangs again.

“I-I just h-happened to be in the right place, I guess? I, um...I w-was going to ask you something though. W-when the fight’s over, I mean! It’s, it’s not really a good time right now, and all.” Cutie wrung her fingers, ducking her chin into her fur collar, and he almost wanted to take her hands in his before she hurt herself.

“Ask me what?” Chat twisted, ducking to see her face and to possibly draw a laugh out of her. He had taken to being even sillier when things weren’t too dangerous just to get her chuckling as a way of keeping her relaxed. This time though she simply hid behind her hands, trying to peek at him through her fingers but unable to look at him for long.

“I-I was just...it’s stupid, I know but I was going to ask if you—i-if maybe you might want to d-d—” her fingers dug into her forehead and he gently took them, pulling them away from her face. She bit her lip almost hard enough to draw blood as she struggled to steel her nerves for whatever she wanted to say. When she did, her words came out in a jumble, almost a shout as if she wanted to get all of it out before she lost her nerve.

“If you wanted to go out with me on a d— _CHAT, DUCK!_ ” Her eyes flew wide as she was lunged for him. The air was knocked out of him as she sent him sprawling across the tiles, flattening herself across him with a pained shout. His blood ran cold. An arrow stuck out of her back. Her pained whimper as it dissolved made him feel sick to his stomach as he watched a dark stain spread across her lips. When Cutie opened her eyes again, her eyes were filled with venom.

“Ugh!” She wrenched away from him, an ugly sneer twisting her soft features, he couldn’t help but respond with an awful churning sensation in his stomach as he could practically hear the hatred dripping from her lips as she spoke. But it was the way she ripped her trompo off her hip that made him spring to his feet. “Don’t even _touch_ me! It’s bad enough I have to look at your hideous face! I can’t believe half of Paris spends its time _simpering_ over an idiot like you.”

“Cutie, wait!” He almost dodged too late, jerking out of the way as she struck, the sharp point of her trompo slicing through his hair and nearly putting a hole in his ear. “I always wondered what I’d look like with pierced ears, but that’s a _little_ harsh, don’t you think?”

“Enough with your _stupid_ word games, cat!” Even knowing she was under the Akuma’s control and that Cutie Bee would never say anything as hurtful as that, Chat still found that the words stung, tail lashing as he sprang out of her reach. Leading her on a wild cat chase across the rooftops as he evaded her stinger seemed to be the only option he had. She was frighteningly fast when she wanted to be, and her charming clumsiness seemed to have evaporated along with whatever sweetness had remained. He just prayed Scarlet was in a mood to be _useful_ today.

* * *

Well, true to his luck, Scarlet wasn’t anywhere to be found. Chat couldn’t even feign surprise at the fact that yet again, he seemed to be on his own against an akumatized Kim. Only this time with the added bonus of his pawn Cutie Bee, who still seemed determined to gore him with her stingers. 

He’d had too many close calls with her fat pigtails to count, and far more than he’d wanted to admit. Her trompo had come closer to digging into his sides than he was comfortable with. So focused on keeping her from leaving him paralyzed, he hadn’t even begun to wrap his head around how to smash Kim’s Akuma, and he was wracking his brain as hard as he could to find a way to turn the tables enough to give him the edge. Cutie was startlingly vicious and way too good at keeping him on his toes than he was used to. Cold sweat dripped down the nape of his neck, leaving him shuddering. He’d need more than just brute strength to get through this, eyeing Cutie as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other, readying herself for another pass for a chance to sting him. Chat just had to make sure she never got her chance.

If Dislocœur was twisting affection and friendship, then… His ears snapped up as his eyes went wide. It _couldn’t_ be that easy, could it? There was no way. Chat’s heart was pounding as his baton sang, spinning so fast it was nothing more than a blur as he knocked Cutie back time and again, pushing her away while his thoughts raced. Kissing her to break the spell was probably the most ridiculous solution to the problem that he’d thought of yet, but he was running out of time and options, and was more than a little desperate after Cutie had been after him like she was ready to skin him for a new black catskin rug.

“Cutie, can’t we just talk about this?” He panted, her relentless charge making his baton slip in his hands, but he gripped it tighter, baring his fangs as he hissed. Her dark lips peeled back, baring her teeth as the look in her eyes turned manic.

“What’s there to talk about, _pussy cat?_ I’ve had enough of your saccharine sweet talk, you’re nothing but empty words!” The stinger on her trompo got far too close to his bare cheek for comfort, and he could have sworn he could see a bead of venom on its tip before he shoved her back. His limbs shivered, spine bowed and tail lashing as he licked his lips. Cutie danced away from his baton, light on her feet and twirling away from his feints and thrusts like she’d been born for ballet. Each time he missed she only laughed more, haughty and derisive without any of her delightful warmth that had made her so much fun to be around. The cold looks were enough to make him sick alone if it wasn’t for her trying her best to stab him, and he took a deep breath, his hand grabbing his belt and tugging the knot loose with one deft motion.

He’d had plenty of practice with Cutie snatching his belt for her last-minute schemes, and it sent the usual unsettling shiver up his spine as he felt his tail detach. Maybe for once he’d be able to use it to help her instead of the other way around. Using his baton one-handed was not ideal, but it was enough to keep her back as they danced around one another. Circling and weaving, he narrowly escaped her attacks, letting her draw closer by the moment, his pulse loud as drums in his ears. He was playing a dangerous game this time, far worse than normal, but he let out a sharp crow of victory as he swept his honeybee’s feet from beneath her, tossing his looped belt over her head as she fell and cinching it tight with a jerk of his hands to pin her arms down. Cutie Bee let out a yelp, and with a quick twist, he bound her arms tight to her sides. Cutie thrashed, the words spilling out of her mouth startlingly caustic, and for a moment Chat stared in shock at some of the things she said.

He didn’t even think she _knew_ half of those words. Well, you learn something new every day, but this wasn’t the time to gawk at his partner’s expansive vocabulary. Instead, he crouched beside her, feeling his hands go clammy inside the suit. His fingers trembled as he took care to take her by the cheeks so she couldn’t whip her head around and catch him with the business end of one of her pigtails. Cutie screamed, kicking in frustration, and Chat had to swallow down the sudden surge of bile.

“Shhhh, honey bee. It’ll be okay, don’t scream like that.” Chat tried to smile, stroking her cheeks with his thumbs as he leaned closer, trying to convince himself that this would work. That he’d get Cutie back and that whoever this was, she wasn’t a permanent change. His mouth was dry, his breath shuddering as he leaned close. When his nose brushed her cheek she tried one last time to twitch out of his grip, and he could hear the way her heart was pounding just as hard as his.

“Don’t you dare! Get your filthy paws off me!” She snapped, trying to bite him. Her growls would have been adorable in almost any other circumstance. Instead he just tried to purr to soothe her, her glower weakening as he let his forehead rest against hers.

“I know. I’m so sorry, Cutie Bee. I hope you’ll forgive this tomcat for stealing something precious from you. It’ll be over soon, I swear.” Licking his lips, he barely heard her grumbled protest, feeling her straining against his belt as she tried to throw him off, another scream building before he pressed his lips to hers. It felt like kissing hot tar for a moment, a sickening lurching sensation in his stomach at the feel of the dark magic crawling under her skin and poisoning her. For a gut-wrenching moment that seemed to last forever she kept thrashing, then suddenly she sagged in his grip with a soft little sound that warmed him all over. The sickening feeling in his belly was chased away by a case of anxious butterflies, and then he could taste a sugary vanilla, her lips warm and soft as she let out a gentle droning sound. He could have cried from happiness, pulling back to see her blinking her eyes open as if waking up from a dream, her lips a soft gold-dusted pink like always, and he hugged her tight, choking back a sob.

“Mmm, Chaton what happened?” She still sounded dazed, but let out a sharp wheeze as he clutched her close, wriggling in his grip as her feet slipped on the asphalt under her. “Chat, you’re squishing me!”

“S-sorry, Cutie! I’m just so glad.” He laughed, almost breathless and trembling all over, pulling back to untangle her from his belt and squashing her cheeks to see her flustered squirming.

“Chat, there’s an _akuma!_ ” She whined, buzzing sharply and leaving him chuckling as relief left him giddy. It had worked! It wasn’t what he’d hoped for his first kiss, but hopefully Marinette would never hear about it. By the time they were on their feet again and charging Kim, all thoughts of his terrifying first kiss were chased from his mind.

* * *

“Ugh, Marinette, you would _not_ believe the poor quality of the photos I’ve been getting. Apparently half of Paris went crazy and nobody was able to keep track of what happened. Did you hear the worst part though?” Alya had spent the rest of Valentine’s in a confused daze, and Marinette wasn’t much better. Huge parts of her memory were missing—she remembered what had happened with Alya, she remembered meeting up with Chat Noir, but then it was like someone had wiped half of her head clean. Then she remembered having the air crushed from her lungs because Chat was hugging her too tight and she was tied up in his tail for some reason.

“No, what happened?” She rested her chin on her hand, watching Alya swipe through her phone while Nino and Adrien chatted away. So focused on Alya’s phone, she didn’t see the anxious pinch to Adrien’s forehead, or the way he nervously glanced back at her.

“Apparently the Akuma hit Cutie Bee with one of his crazy arrows, so she kept trying to murder Chat! Look.” Alya held out an earbud to Marinette, who grabbed it and shoved it into her ear while Adrien struggled to keep himself from snatching Alya’s phone away from them. Marinette clapped a hand to her mouth, horror flooding her as she watched the news footage, glad she couldn’t hear what she was saying to Chat. If she was attacking him as hard as she thought she was, and after seeing and hearing the kinds of things best friends said when under Dislocœur’s influence, she must have said some horrible things to her poor overworked partner.

Still, it didn’t prepare her for what came at the end. She clapped both hands over her mouth as she let out a stifled screech when Chat wrapped her in his tail. True, it suddenly made her condition when she woke up make sense, but what came after was _obviously_ a kiss, and she felt herself mentally reeling. Chat had kissed her to break the spell so she could come back to her senses. _Chat Noir had been her first kiss and she didn’t even remember it._ Marinette wasn’t sure if she wanted to be sick or cry. So caught up in her wild mix of emotions, she didn’t see the devastated look that flashed across Adrien’s face, his face going pale as he stared at the blackboard and began to sweat.

 _Marinette knew he’d kissed Cutie Bee!_ Of all the horrible things to happen, that wasn’t what he’d wanted at _all_. Oh man, if she ever found out he was Chat Noir, he didn’t know what he’d do with himself. Maybe throw himself in the Seine, but that sounded about as appealing as rasping his tongue with sandpaper. Ugh, this was the _worst!_


	3. Strawberry Mint Chocolate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danger draws near when Marinette promises to go on a date with a dashing artist, but first she has to work up the courage to ask her partner for backup. How on earth is she supposed to focus on the plan when just the sight of her feline companion is enough to leave her feeling topsy-turvy? Whatever happens, it's up to Chat Noir to save the day until Cutie Bee can fly to his assistance, but wherever is the buzzing bee when he needs her most? Hopefully he's not backed into a corner just yet!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Goooood timezone, starshines! It is I, ZiriO! Bringing you yet another delicious chapter of Cherry Cordial Blitz quick before I slither away to try and mend my awful sleep schedule. MiniMinou has been amazing and editing these in record time even when I decide to double up my posts but I love her so much for all the hard work. Please send her much love and well wishes as she gets through her exams!
> 
> As always please enjoy, and fasten your seatbelts for yet another amazing adventure of our dynamic lovesquare! Will Marinette ever be able to say a full sentence in front of Chat? Will Chat's need for attention and validation ever be sated? Will I actually be able to go a day without wondering why decent sleep continues to elude my grasp??? Tune in next time to find out, and I'll see you then! ♥

Honestly, she’d never expected to be _asked out_ by an akuma. Attacked regularly? Well, that wasn’t new. But to have an akuma try and convince her to come with them on a date by _breaking into her house_ had been a new level of alarming and sent her frantically trying to think of how to fix it. An idea struck her, but it took a hasty call to Chat Noir and a lot of pep talk from Pollen before her nerves failed her. 

The only problem was it meant that she was going to spend the evening with a very close encounter of both the akuma and cat-kind. Already her heart wasn’t able to handle the idea of _Chat Noir_ escorting her. What had she been _thinking?_ This was going to be a disaster, she’d never be able to think clearly. The worst part was when he practically pounced her on her doorstep, interrupting Sabrina mid-word as he dropped to the sidewalk from the rooftops above them, sweeping into a bow with a throaty purr.

“ _Paw_ -don the interruption ladies, but I’ve been sent to guard this fair damsel from a dangerous akuma. I hope you’ll _fur_ -give this cat for interrupting.” With a sly smile he slipped between Sabrina and Marinette, capturing one of Marinette’s hands in his own before bringing it to his lips to press the softest kiss to her knuckles. For a moment Marinette completely forgot how to breathe, her eyes going wide as she sputtered incoherently, not at all helped by the fact that Chat _kept hold of her hand_. His thumb stroked her knuckles as he reassured Sabrina, only releasing Marinette’s hand long enough to pat her shoulders.

“Never fear, I’ll keep your study partner _purr_ fectly safe! After all, what good is a knight if he cannot protect a fair maiden in her time of need? An akuma like that is no match for Chat Noir, you know.” He flexed his arms as proof, and Marinette had to clap her hands over her face to hide her flush from Sabrina, who looked a little skeptical as if this was somehow a ruse to get out of homework or their group project. The suit was just too revealing in daylight, highlighting Chat’s lean frame in ways that had her heart hammering painfully against her ribs.

“Well, if you’re sure...I’ll talk to you later Marinette!” Sabrina waved, and Marinette felt her lips twitch into a nervous wince as she called her goodbyes, only to realize she was now alone. With Chat. Out of her suit. Which meant she had nothing with which to hide the flush creeping down her neck and burning her ears. The same flush that got worse when he turned to her with a smile, his tail curling and flicking as his pupils went slitted, his purr rising in intensity to a low rumble. For a moment she completely forgot how to speak as he leaned closer, casually resting an elbow against the doorframe above her head.

“S-so w-what’s this about an akuma?” She tried to sound casual, but there was absolutely nothing casual about the way her voice squeaked, rocketing up an octave when it seemed as if he was going to lean in and buff his face against hers. Luckily he pushed himself away before she embarrassed herself completely in front of him, his tail curling and waving as he flicked his baton off his belt and slung it across his shoulders. Somewhere along the line her brain screeched to a halt at how the pose emphasized his silhouette and made her want to go scream into her pillows for a few hours. Or the rest of the day, whichever came first, honestly. It really should have been illegal to look so handsome in that suit, his ears flicking to catch the sounds of the city around them.

“Cutie Bee said that the akuma’s rather taken with you, and I can see why. A lovely lady such as yourself must really be the cat’s meow at your school.” He flashed a grin at her over his shoulder and winked, and it was all Marinette could do to stop herself from screaming into the hands she clapped to her face.

“I-I wouldn’t say that...I’m not _that_ popular.” Oh gosh she was going to die. Chat was going to kill her, he was so cute it hurt and she just couldn’t handle it. Her hands flapped, trying to fan her face as she fought to get her breathing under control so she didn’t sound like a total creep. There was no way she was going to make it through a whole day like this, absolutely no way! She was going to make a complete idiot out of herself in front of _Chat Noir_ and then she’d have to send herself off to live in that convent and he’d never see her again and then she’d have to give her Miraculous to somebody else because there was no way she’d ever be able to look him in the face again! This whole thing was going to be a disaster!

* * *

This whole thing was going better than he ever could have dreamed. When Cutie had called him, stumbling over her words at first but growing serious the more she talked, Chat had been on the edge of his seat. Nathaniel was after _Marinette?_ Lovely, amazing Marinette had offered to _go on a date_ with Nathaniel after he’d been akumatized just to keep _Chloe_ safe? 

There were so many parts of that he’d been struggling with, one of them a sudden spike of jealous rage that he knew was inappropriate and completely unhelpful under the circumstances. Another was the fact that Marinette was willing to offer herself up as...as _bait_ to protect the one girl at school that routinely made her miserable. How could she be so selfless and wonderful? His chest ached just thinking about it, unable to let it go. 

So with jittering nerves and a racing heart he bounded to the bakery early, and found himself stepping in when things seemed to be getting heated with Sabrina, unable to help himself from flexing and preening just for the extra attention from his fair maiden. After all, it wasn’t hard to notice the way Marinette flushed bright red when he kissed her knuckles, and from there he couldn’t seem to stop showing off.

It wasn’t helping, Marinette was obviously not able to focus, but the rush of _Marinette paying attention to him and blushing when he talked_ was almost overwhelming. He wanted her to look at him like that all the time, even in class. Okay, maybe not _in_ class, he didn’t want her to struggle any more with physics than she already was, but without his mask. He desperately wanted to see the cute blush, the precious way she bit her lip, anything. All of it. Whatever he could tease out of her as long as he could have her look at him and only him like that. 

Okay so that _might_ be a bit of a stretch. But as long as he could figure out how to stop being so awkward when he wasn’t in a costume—one that allowed him to be as silly as possible when he needed to be—that was what mattered. With his thoughts lost in the idea of sweeping Marinette off her feet, he almost missed what she said, his ears perking as he spun on one foot to face her.

“S-so what should we do?” Her eyes shone, like caught starlight and just as dazzling, and she nervously twisted her fingers as she flushed the sweetest shade of pink he’d ever had the pleasure of seeing on her face. With a flick of his wrist he holstered his baton again and took both her hands in his own, rubbing his thumbs across her fingers in an attempt to reassure her. How could he ever let something horrible happen to her, when she made him feel like nothing else in the world mattered when she looked at him? It took everything he had not to take her face in both hands. No, he couldn’t go overboard, he was a gentlecat after all!

“Never fear, my lovely lady. Simply get Dessinateur’s stylus from him, and your humble Chat will do the rest. My honor as a hero would be at stake if I let anything happen to someone as _purr_ -ecious as you.” With a wink, he bowed over her hand, unable to help himself from pressing one last kiss to her soft knuckles and stepped back, letting her fingers slip through his own before he bounded away with a salute. The entire time he raced across the rooftops he couldn’t stop his grin, his face aching as he readied himself for the fight against Nathanael.

* * *

Things could have been going so much better and she only had herself to blame. Marinette was regretting everything now, throwing herself to the deck of the boat as Dessinateur let out an angry shout. She could have sworn she felt a few centimeters of her hair get shorn off as the sawblade passed over her. Chat hissed, the deafening clash of metal making her cover her ears as he knocked the blade aside and lunged at Nathanael. 

Without even the time to clap her hands to her fraying bun to check the damage, she rolled to the side, fully intending to dart to the stern of the boat and keep herself out of danger, only to feel something cold clamp around her ankle and yank her back. A scream tore out of her, fingernails scrambling for purchase before she was lifted up and tossed at Chat, sending them both crumpling to the ground.

Wheezing, her arms trembled as she tried to force herself up. Fear chilled her as she watched Nathanael swipe his tablet clean as his stylus flew across the screen. If only she hadn’t gotten distracted, they would have had a clean shot. She’d almost _had_ the stylus in her hand, but then she’d caught sight of Chat and she’d started stammering and Nathanael had gotten suspicious. Everyone in the class knew she didn’t have a stutter, and the moment he’d noticed Chat’s shadow pass over them from the street lights he’d known exactly what was up. Worse yet was her blush had given her away, and the fury in Nathanael’s face had been more chilling than the weapons he could summon.

Why did she have to act like such an _idiot_ around Chat? And if that hadn’t been bad enough, being compared to Chloe Bourgeois had made her want to scream. Not that she had time to dwell on it, flinching away from the blade that nearly punched a hole through the deck where she’d been lying a moment before.

“Hold still and it’ll be over in a moment!” Dessinateur snarled.

Before Marinette could stagger to her feet she felt an arm slide under her, pulling at her as Chat’s baton extended, shooting them into the air.

“I think we’d rather not! As much as I’m a fan of purr-formance art, I don’t see either of us needing a trip to the groomer!” Chat beamed, holding Marinette tight to his side, and she couldn’t help but sag against him in relief. Relief that was incredibly short lived, as before she could even rest her head on his shoulder, Nathanael kicked the baton out from under them. 

Which sent plummeting towards the Seine below, and she let out a shrill scream. 

Claws dug into her back as Chat Noir whipped his baton around, trying to spin it fast enough to slow their fall. She couldn’t find her voice as she frantically pointed to an alcove in the channel’s stone wall, and Chat’s face lit up.

“Purrfect!” He chirped, and his baton was extending, leaving Marinette burying her face against his shoulder. She hoped they’d make it before Dessinateur tried something else awful or they’d find themselves plunging into the dark water below. 

Metal struck stone, and with a grunt of effort, Chat swung them upward, sending them flying as she heard a furious shout behind them. Between the wind whipping her hair back from her face and the sound of her pounding heart, she couldn’t enjoy the moment even with their narrow escape lightening the weight in her chest. Without her suit, the sky of Paris was terrifying. Knowing an angry akuma was likely close behind made her feel like she was freezing with the sweat dripping into her eyes. Even how tight Chat held her was hardly comforting, his claws digging in to keep a grip on her as they fell, his boots skidding across roof tiles only for one to catch, sending them tumbling. The world was a blur of ceramic, the black of Chat’s suit and the haze of the night sky as he wrapped her in his arms.

When they slid to a stop, Marinette was the first to recover, shoving herself upright as her head whipped towards the Seine. Her chest heaved as she waited for the flash of red, white and black across the rooftops. She didn’t even notice the way her hair spilled over her shoulders, only looking back when Chat groaned.

“C-chaton!” Her heart leapt into her throat as she reached for him, shaking hands cradling him to her as instinct took over her. He winced, but the sly smile he shot her was enough to leave her sighing in relief.

“Never fear, it takes more than that to keep this cat down.” He purred, and she had to choke back the tears that threatened to spill over as the adrenaline left her clutching him tighter. Worry filled his eyes as he reached up to rub the wet tracks from her cheeks. “Hey, it’ll be okay. I’m fine, Marinette. I promised I’d keep you safe, didn’t I?” 

He cocked his head as she nodded, scrubbing her cheeks with the back of her hand, and he made a soft sound of surprise. Claws sifted through her hair, and she froze, a sudden sinking feeling in her stomach. Her hair. _Her Miraculous!_ Before her hand could even twitch towards her hair, Chat pulled something from the mess that had once been her bun, streetlights catching on gold, white and black enamel.

“I’m so sorry, that’s no way for a cute girl to get her hair cut. At least you didn’t lose your hair comb.” He smiled, his tail curling as she wrapped her shaking fingers around her Miraculous, clutching it to her heart as the horrible sensation that she might have lost Pollen left her feeling weak. “I’m glad to know Cutie Bee has fans as sweet as you, I think she’d be bee-side herself with joy. But speaking of the honey bee, I’m afraid I have to go. I’ll leave you somewhere safe, but it looks like I’ll need more than just this cat’s cleverness to take Dessinateur out.”

Marinette let him help her to her feet, feeling like she was in a daze as he found a safe place near the bakery to leave her. His hands were warm as he tried to tame her hair, taking both of her hands in his again.

“Hopefully Scarlet Lady’s cure will mend things, but I have a feeling you’d make any haircut look perfectly sweet.” He smiled, his ears twitching forward as he purred noisily, kissing her knuckles once more and stepping back. Her smile was shaky but her cheeks flushed at his flirting, leaving Chat Noir’s fangs gleaming as he grinned and bounded off, taking to the rooftops once more. Marinette watched him go, the warmth fading as her brows pinched into a determined scowl, and she stepped into an alleyway nearby. She didn’t dare look in any of her reflections on the windows, her stomach churning at the thought that her hair was a mangled mess as she slid her comb into place.

“Don’t worry, my queen. It’ll look good as new once I’m done!” Pollen tried to cheer her, darting around her and leaving the air smelling of honey and flowers, soothing Marinette’s frayed nerves.

“I know, Pollen. You always do!” She grinned, cupping her hands around her kwami and pulling her close enough to rub cheeks with her. “Now, let’s go help Chat!”

* * *

“S-sorry I didn’t come help sooner, Chat.” Cutie Bee sighed, her feet dangling off the edge of the hotel’s roof as she caught her breath. She was awful at fighting in tight spaces as there was no room to throw her trompo, and the whole disaster on the Seine still left her feeling weak and rattly all over like a ball jointed doll whose elastics had snapped. Chat just grinned, knocking his shoulder playfully against hers.

“Don’t worry about it, Cutie. I had it all under control!” He grinned, buffing his claws on the front of his suit. His carefree attitude had her giggling, shaking her head at the blatant lie.

“Are you sure?” She felt a thrill go through her, a sudden urge to be daring rising to the surface, a flicker of hope bubbling up in her heart. “So you weren’t distracted by anything at all? Like a cute girl, _purr_ -haps?” She pursed her lips at the sudden flush on his face and the guilty look in his eyes, and she couldn’t hold back her laughter when he gave her the most scandalized look.

“I would never!”

“Of course not, Chat!” Cutie Bee laughed, though her laughter died at the noisy scoff behind them, both of their expressions going flat as a black and red boot stomped on the stone slab they were sitting on.

“And what are you two slackers doing out here? Don’t you have some _cleaning up_ to do?” Scarlet huffed, and Cutie Bee didn’t even bother muffling her groan. Chat’s nose wrinkled as his pupils went slitted, casting a sideways glance at Cutie Bee.

“Actually Scarlet, we were just leaving. Weren’t we, Cutie Bee?” He grinned suddenly, shooting Cutie Bee a wink as he held out his hand. Baffled, she took it, letting out a surprised squeak as he pulled her to her feet and shrugged at Scarlet. Scooping Cutie Bee into his arms, he leapt off the roof as he let out a whoop of laughter. Cutie Bee’s startled shriek turned into giggles as they left Scarlet Lady and her scandalized screams far behind.

When Marinette slipped through her skylight much later, she felt boneless from the rollercoaster of emotions, her fingers hesitantly raking through her hair as her transformation fell away. With a gusty sigh of relief, she fell face-first into her pillows, letting Pollen turn off her lights. At least there was one good thing about Scarlet, her Ladybug Cure really _did_ bring Marinette’s hair back.


	4. Peaches and Strawberry Creme

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the latest Gabriel advertisement hitting the big screens, Adrien finds himself in a tight spot that only Marinette seems to be able to get him out of! Yet while Adrien finds himself enjoying the reversed roles of being the distressed damsel for once, new and painful truths are being dragged into the light that he hadn't expected to uncover. Can he set aside his feelings to support Marinette's? Is this the tipping point to make or break them? All he knows is that he has to do the right thing, no matter the cost. After all, that's what a hero would do, isn't it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GREETINGS, STARSHINES! It is I, ZiriO, coming to you with another heaping dose of Cutie Bee and Chat Noir! Or rather the unending shenanigans of Marinette and Adrien in this case. MiniMinou has survived the mighty battles against exams and valiantly slain my typos and grammar nonsense, so we once more bring you a fluff feast to rot your teeth and melt your heart! Whatever will happen to the soft kitten this time?
> 
> So without further ado, please fasten your seatbelts and enjoy! Will Adrien confess his overwhelming feelings? Will Marinette save the day in spite of the mob that follows one of her closest friends? Will we ever escape the dreaded 'just a friend' trope once and for all??? Tune in next time to find out!

All he’d wanted to do was go to the movies, preferably with his father, but even that was asking too much. Admittedly, he’d sort of expected it, but he also hadn’t planned on being chased halfway across the city by a horde of screaming fans. This was _ridiculous_! Who’d have thought anyone would go this crazy over a stupid cologne ad? Rounding a corner, he was too busy glancing over his shoulder to see what was in front of him before he smashed face-first into something soft. Or rather mostly soft, as he had to shake off the knock of skulls while Marinette hissed quietly as she rubbed her face. As much as his heart was suddenly pounding against his ribs for a totally different reason than it had been a moment before, he didn’t have time to boggle at the way she’d pulled her hair into a new style or the cute outfit she wore.

“Marinette! Please, you live near here, can I hide at your place?” His face was burning as she blinked owlishly at him.

“Sure, I guess so. Why, what’s wrong?” The confusion was gone in an instant, replaced quickly by a fierce look that stole his breath away. But the screams and thunderous footfalls of the mob echoed alarmingly in the covered walkway. He didn’t even have time to flinch before her hand snatched his and she was pulling him after her. “Come with me!”

Honestly it was a crime that he couldn’t even take a moment to appreciate how soft and warm her palm was against his, or the way she was quick to throw her duffel bag into an empty fountain and haul him in after her. The stone was warm enough against his back that he could have easily dozed there on any other day, yet he gasped for air as the stampede passed them by. Marinette lay next to him, her nose wrinkled as she listened, and she was close enough that their sides were almost touching. His hand still tingled from where her fingers had touched him last, and he wanted to feel more of that.

“Why on earth are they chasing you like this? This is crazy.” She kept her voice down, her hand finding his shoulder to rub it reassuringly, and he had to take a deep breath to hide the way his voice trembled as he hesitantly covered her fingers with his own.

“It’s the new cologne ad that just came out. It’s been like this ever since it went on the air.” He scowled, his cheeks hot as she gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. Her eyes looked so vivid this close, and if he leaned towards her just a little more, he could have almost smelled the scent of fresh cookies that clung to her.

“You starred in an ad? That’s kind of cool!” Her smile was trying to be reassuring, but he shook his head.

“I don’t know, it’s been more embarrassing than anything else.” He sighed, lying next to her also gave him a moment to really take in what she was wearing, and he felt his face heat up even more as his gaze twitched back to her face.

_Why is she wearing pajamas?_

Better yet, why were her pajamas so tight fitted and cute? Well, everything Marinette wore was cute, but even these were cuter than normal. She was stammering something about her outfit and how they should be going and he wasn’t paying attention at _all_ , but when he caught sight of the car on the street, he nearly yanked her down on top of him in a flare of panic.

He couldn’t even properly enjoy being dragged around Paris with everyone thinking Marinette was his girlfriend when he was trying to run from an overzealous mob and his own bodyguard as she helped him dodge their pursuers. Could the day get any worse?

* * *

“Oh thank goodness, we made it.” Marinette sank into the seat in the theater with a sigh of relief, smiling brightly at Adrien as he leaned back with a nervous chuckle. “For a bit there I didn’t think these disguises would actually work!”

“I’m really glad you thought of them, that was a great plan. Thanks again for coming with me to see my mother’s movie.” Adrien smiled, his cheeks flushed, and all she could do was giggle sheepishly as she waved it off.

“Honestly, it was the least I could do. What are best friends for, right?” Something about the way his expression changed made her smile falter, and she cocked her head, her fingers brushing his arm. “Hey, you okay?” Adrien had looked so stressed out all afternoon, the whole crazy fans chasing them hard on him in spite of how he joked, but ever since they’d started labelling her as his girlfriend he’d just seemed even more off. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but he was quieter than normal, and she took his hand, rubbing his knuckles as he bowed his head.

“Oh, it’s nothing really, I just was going to ask you something.” He couldn’t even look at her now, his face flushed as he tugged on the helmet’s visor, though he did return the gentle squeeze she gave his hand.

“You can ask me anything, it’s okay. I won’t mind.” Marinette gave him a soft smile, gently bumping their shoulders together and surprising a soft chuckle out of him. How could she say no when he gave her that soft, puppy-eyed stare?

“Do...do you have someone you like? I mean, I know they were saying you were my girlfriend earlier, but I didn’t want that to bother you. It didn’t, did it?” He just looked so nervous, she shook her head, though she could feel the blush starting to burn at her cheeks.

“Oh, that? No, it didn’t. I mean, it’s a pretty crazy conclusion to jump to, right?” She laughed, but it was quiet, and she found herself fidgeting with her swim bag as she felt her heart begin to pound. “As for the crush...well, I’ll tell you, but only if you promise not to laugh.”

“Why would I laugh? Of course I wouldn’t.” He looked almost offended at that, but she felt so nervous she was almost buzzing. Covering her face with her hands before they could start to flap, her knees drew up as she had to stifle the building urge to squeal into her cupped palms as she thought of golden hair, gleaming fangs and vivid, clever eyes.

“I _do_ but he doesn’t even really know me!”

* * *

Adrien felt as if someone had punched a hole in his chest. Of course she had someone she liked, Marinette was really popular, why wouldn’t there already be someone? Swallowing around the lump in his throat, he tried to force down the roaring blankness in his head, the sudden swell of jealousy that clawed its way up his throat. He didn’t even have the right to be jealous, and yet. _And yet…_

“He’s just one of the sweetest people I know. He’s funny and charming, and he’s always trying to help other people, and he’s really good with kids.” The look on her face as she thought of this other guy was like feeling someone take a hammer to his heart after turning it to ice. Chiselling away at it one shard at a time. “And when he laughs it’s like...I don’t know, it’s like sunshine? That sounds really dumb, doesn’t it?” She scratched bashfully at her cheek, and he had to force himself to shake his head. To do anything other than stare dumbly at her as his heart betrayed him and sank into his stomach like a stone.

“N-no, that’s not dumb at all, why would you say that?” Of course it wasn’t dumb, that was how it felt when she smiled. Her laughter warm and sweet and addicting, and she looked so grateful when she met his gaze that it was like someone had twisted a knife between his ribs.

“Thanks, Adrien. I don’t know, I guess I just worry everyone would make fun of me if they knew who it was.” She fidgeted with her duffle strap, one hand waving as she talked, a foot nervously jiggling against the the seat in front of them. He wanted so badly to take her hand and squeeze it tight, but it felt wrong now, his chest aching even worse.

“No one should make fun of you for who you like. Have...have you told him?” He wanted to kick himself, punch himself right in the teeth the moment the words left him, but Marinette just shook her head, staring down at her lap.

“N-no, I can’t seem to talk straight around him at all. I get all mixed up and I start stuttering, it’s a huge mess. I just wish there was an easy way to tell him how I feel that doesn’t get ruined the moment I try to open my big mouth.” Sagging back in her seat, she groaned softly as her head fell back, staring unhappily at the ceiling. Adrien opened his mouth, then closed it as his mind began to race. As much as he hated the idea of Marinette with someone else, he also hated the idea of her being unhappy even more. If this other guy made her this happy, then she deserved a chance, and she deserved not to hate herself just because she got flustered. She was smart, clever, amazing, he could spend all day thinking of what made her special.

His mind drifted to the blue scarf, and he clenched his teeth, fingers digging tight into his knee before he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Marinette deserved to be happy, no matter who it was with.

“Why don’t you try making him something? You’re so great with sewing and things like that, I’m sure if you give him something handmade, he’d definitely cherish it. After all, what kind of guy would he be if he didn’t notice a girl that worked so hard to make something just for him?” The smile hurt, but Marinette just looked at him with wide eyes, a smile blossoming across her face that could have put all the lights of Paris to shame. He was going to hate himself for this, he just knew it.

“Adrien, that’s a great idea! Thank you so much!” She beamed, wrapping him in a hug so tight it almost hurt, but before he could relax into the embrace, he heard the sounds of cellphone cameras snapping behind him.

Could today seriously get any worse?

* * *

“What’s that you’re working on, Marinette?” Pollen peered over her Chosen’s shoulder. Pages of sketches had been scrapped and tossed aside while Marinette hummed a chipper, buzzy little tune.

“Oh, just a present for Chat Noir. I think Adrien had a great idea. Maybe I should make him something to show him how much he means to me.” Her grin was so wide that Pollen had a hard time arguing with her. Marinette had pictures of Chat pulled up on her phone for inspiration, some of the newer ones that Alya had posted on the Blog Noir now added to the collection on her desktop. Splashes of greens in different shades filled the pages of her sketchbook, but she seemed torn between a mostly black color scheme and more greens. One page in particular caught Pollen’s eye, the kwami perking up instantly.

“Oh! That one, my queen! That one. I’m sure he’ll love it best!” She zipped close, patting a sketch of a cat-eared hat with two dangling fur puffs, and a matching scarf emblazoned with paws. Bright and as playful as Plagg’s current Chosen, she was certain he’d enjoy it. Perhaps she’d check with him to be certain, but Pollen was sure her instincts were correct. Marinette sat back, looking at the sketch in question, then beamed in delight as she scooped up Pollen and held her to her cheek.

“Pollen, you’re the best! Thank you!” Spinning in her desk chair, her delighted laughter filled her room. Pollen circled her as Marinette tossed her skyward with a whoop, their giggling loud as Pollen flitted to her perch in a nest of flowers Marinette had made on her desk for the kwami. “Now I just need to figure out how to make it. I’m thinking maybe knitting, or I could sew it, but I think I could do a cable knit and then just fold it to get the ears…” She was back to work, bustling and humming her buzzing tune, feet tapping away as her head bobbed to her playful music.

“We’ll need to go yarn shopping, Pollen! That and I need some cute faux fur for the pompoms, I think it’d be a fun contrast, and since it’s Chat, it’s got to have fur on it, right? He’d probably make all sorts of jokes.” Biting her lip, Marinette buzzed in quiet pleasure, a finger twirling in the ribbon wound through her hair as her hand hovered over her markers, trying to decide on the best shade of green. Whatever her queen decided, Pollen knew without a doubt that Chat would love it no matter what.

After all, he’d been the one to give her the idea in the first place, and Pollen was practically bursting with the need to tell her Chosen so. But she squashed the urge by nibbling on a piece of honey candy as her queen worked out the finer details of the gift. It was really too bad that she wouldn’t be able to properly enjoy the surprised look on Chat Noir’s face when he realized what had happened.

* * *

When Cutie Bee had nearly slapped him in the face with a box, Chat wasn’t at all sure what to think. She was coming apart from nerves and Scarlet wasn’t helping, but once his eyes focused on the glitter and sparkle, his ears flicked forward and his tail curled in delight. It was a _present_. She’d gotten him a Christmas present, and it was just so _shiny_ he wanted to play with the wrapping paper alone, afraid to tear the glittery parcel. 

At least he managed to get Cutie laughing by putting the ribbons on his head, trying to drown out Scarlet’s usual snide remarks with his own chuckles just to see Cutie Bee relax. How he’d made friends with anyone as sweet as Cutie, he didn’t know, but the fact that she’d gone to the trouble to get him a gift was almost better than whatever was actually in the box itself. He’d have to get her something nice too, but he had no idea what to get her. It wasn’t as if they actually _talked_ about themselves. Not really. He regretted that, while his heart fluttered as he delicately peeled back the tissue paper. A familiar shade of acid green peeked out, and he felt the breath leave him in a sudden rush, stunned speechless as he lifted the soft bundle out and tried his best not to snag his claws on it.

It was a _hat._ With cat ears and big poofy pompoms that squished when he squeezed them. He had to yank it on the moment he saw it, the thick yarn already warming him against the cold breeze, and he could have scooped Cutie Bee up in a hug if he hadn’t realized there was more in the box. The delighted whoop was almost deafeningly loud, but he couldn’t control it. He’d never been more excited about a present since the day Marinette had given him a scarf.

_Wait…_

A scarf. He’d gotten a scarf from Marinette for his birthday, and he’d told her to make something for the mystery guy she liked because of how much it had meant to him. She’d said she always stuttered around the person she liked. _He was the only person he knew that she stuttered around._ Ripping the hat off his head, his purr was almost deafeningly loud, tail whipping as his heart hammered against his ribs. It couldn’t be. There was no way he was the one. 

And _yet_ , he wanted to believe, even if it meant things would get messy and complicated and how on earth had Cutie talked to Marinette in the first place?

The sight of that adorable, loopy signature along the inside of the cap in black made him chirp in excitement, practically pouncing Cutie Bee in his delight. It was! He didn’t know how, but it had to be because he’d told her! He was so excited he wanted to crush Cutie in the biggest hug and dance with her across the rooftops. He was going to go up to Marinette in the morning and—

And then Scarlet had to ruin everything and Chat could _hear_ his molars grinding as he felt a muscle jump in his throat and his eyelid twitch. If she didn’t stop insulting Cutie _and_ Marinette in the same breath he was going to grab her by her ponytail and throw her headfirst into the Seine!

...No, no, that would only upset Cutie. He had to be reasonable about this. Still, seeing Marinette’s hard work thrown on the ground made him feel sick. He scooped it up and gently patted it, taking care not to snag the velveteen and faux fur capelet with his claws, unable to help himself from brushing his thumbs across her perfect, even seams, admiring the obviously hand-dyed spots. His fair maiden had worked _so hard_ , and Scarlet didn’t even care, had even tossed it aside like so much trash. He was so close to tearing her a new one but Cutie beat him to it.

His gentle, sweet, soft-spoken honeybee was all blistering venom, buzzing with fury in his defense, leaving him staring after her as she disappeared into the night, and his mind raced. That fury was so familiar. The heat in her gaze stealing his breath away, and suddenly he felt numb all over, his heartbeat heavy in his chest.

There was _no way_ , and yet it kept him awake at night, staring at his ceiling as that fierce look in her eyes made his thoughts race, the two scarves tucked under his pillow, the soft faux fur of one of his hat’s pompoms tickling his palm as he squeezed it.

* * *

“Marinette, what’s this? You already gave me a present.” Adrien chuckled, staring down at the box in his lap that his girlfriend had shoved at him. The fact that she was his _girlfriend_ still made his chest tighten, especially when her face flushed, ducking into the high collar of her sweater as she fidgeted. Even when he leaned close enough to buff his face against hers, she ducked away, kicking her feet in embarrassment.

“Those didn’t count, they were presents for Chat Noir!” she mumbled, glancing at her parents who were putting the final touches on a Christmas cake for dessert that night. Adrien relented, leaning back against the cushions with a purr that he tried to stifle.

“I don’t know, they counted as far as I’m concerned.” He grinned, but she just plucked at the hem of her sweater. He wanted to take her by the hand and kiss her knuckles one at a time, but instead he plucked at the ribbons on the box in his lap.

“Yeah, but you deserve something to open on Christmas too.” Her voice was muffled by her sweater collar, but he felt warm from his head to his toes. Before she could escape, he leaned over and pressed a quick kiss to her flushed cheek.

“Thanks, honey bee.” Adrien purred, chuckling as she pulled the collar up to hide her face and squealed into it. He was still laughing when he pulled the lid off and got a good look at what was in the box. The laughter died in his throat as his eyes went wide, gently pulling out the gloves that matched the scarf and hat he already had sitting on the counter. Turning them over, he felt his eyes burn at the sight of the black paw pads carefully stitched onto the palms of the gloves and all the fingertips.

“A-Adrien? Do...do you like them?” Marinette was watching him, anxiously twisting her sweater in both hands. She started as he turned to her, tears of excitement in his eyes.

“There’s _toe beans_ on these gloves!” He tugged one on, flexing his fingers, his face aching from how hard he was smiling. Rubbing the paw pad with his thumb, he squished the puffy pads, marvelling at the softness and the fact that it was _actually puffy._ “Marinette, I love them! They’re amazing!”

Adrien spent the rest of the day with the gloves on, taking every chance he got to pat Marinette’s cheeks, his delighted laughter filling the house while Tom and Sabine watched the two teens with warm smiles, Sabine quietly handing Tom a tissue whenever his happy tears began to soak his mustache again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also we've now caught up with the end of Honey Bubble Tea! So if you're reading Cherry Cordial first (which I won't judge but it will make this chapter and the next incredibly confusing), just know that Cherry Cordial is a sequel and I would highly recommend zooming over to Honey Bubble Tea to figure out what's going on! Either way, the next chapter is the last, and we'll see what's in store for our two heroes then! Good timezones, starshines, and stay shiny! ZiriO out!


	5. Chocolate Raspberry Tart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Valentine's Day finally arriving, Adrien finds himself in a bit of a bind. Paris's resident tomcat hero pulled out all the stops for a special Christmas eve with his honey bee, but how will he make his sweet partner's day even more perfect? And what happens when he forgets to be more careful in and out of the suit? When Chloe corners him at school, Adrien finds himself under the full force of Scarlet Lady's wrath, without his partner to save him! How will the silver-tongued cat squirm his way out of danger and sweep a girl off her feet all in the same day?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The time has come dear starshines, we have reached the final chapter of this installment of the adventures of Chat and Cutie Bee! This story was a blast to write, it was so fun seeing how much everyone loved it, and as always, it was such a treat to write for RoseGardenTwilight! She's an absolute gem and I highly recommend her works, and I am so glad I was given her as my partner for the Cupid swap! As always a huge shoutout to MiniMinou who edited this even with exam hijinks in full swing, to HariWrites, TOG84 and Lilafly who also gave it a poke when I needed it, and to EtoilesJaunes who is my resident expert on Chloe and who I will sometimes sneak off to and poke for help without telling her why and she's a star for putting up with it. It's been amazing seeing such a warm and loving response to this AU, and I may return sooner than later to add more to it if and when the inspiration strikes, but for now let's wrap it up and get to the fun bits!
> 
> So as always strap in and hang on to your seats as Adrien and Marinette are here to rot your teeth! Will there be a resolution to the Cutie Bee timeline? Will Chat and Cutie get a happily ever after? Will Valentine's end in a hilarious comedy of errors? Stay tuned to find out, and as we say, please enjoy! ZiriO out!

Chat Noir purred noisily, resting his chin on Cutie Bee’s shoulder as he nuzzled her fuzzy collar until the girl was giggling in a way that made Scarlet Lady want to gag. Ever since the whole messy drama with the Queensguard, Chat had been _excessively_ clingy with Cutie Bee, practically rubbing himself all over her every chance he got. It was infuriating, and Scarlet had to _listen_ to them drool all over each other like...like… _ugh!_ It was obnoxious! She didn’t have time to think about it, snapping open her bandalore to check her reflection one more time in the compact mirror hidden within it just to distract herself from the way Chat was rambling on about some dumb _date_ he planned on dragging Cutie Bee out on. Bad enough it was saccharine enough to give her cavities, Scarlet couldn’t help but feel a nasty churning sensation in the pit of her stomach. It wasn’t _fair!_ He’d been her friend first, and she’d have been happy to give him anything he liked, but here he was fawning all over the twittering little bumblebee instead. 

The bandalore snapped shut as she groaned. Pushing herself off the chimney stack she’d been sitting on, she flung it out across the sky just to get _away_ from them.

How could he do this? Ignoring the hot burning feeling in her eyes, Scarlet let the wind leave her irritation behind, the burn in her limbs turning the ache in her heart to ash. If that dumb bee thought she’d won, she had another thing coming! Patrol dragged on and on with those two flirting their way through it, but at least Chloe had made it home without wanting to claw anyone’s face off. Unfortunately not even a full self care bath routine and snuggle time with Monsieur Cuddly was enough to help her feel better. Her face buried in her pillows with her bear clutched tight to her chest, she almost didn’t notice the gentle touch to her hair.

“Chloe, do you want to talk about it?” Tikki’s voice was soft, and Chloe knew it wasn’t her kwami’s fault, but she was there, and Chloe was upset.

“What’s there to talk about?” She sniffed, it was easier to snap at Tikki and pretend she wasn’t crying from her best friend’s betrayal. “It’s not like Adrikins decided I wasn’t good enough for him anymore.” She wanted to wave Tikki off, but it was a bit easier when she cuddled up to Chloe’s cheek, even if she didn’t want to admit that she liked Tikki’s cuddles. Maybe tomorrow wouldn’t be as awful.

* * *

Adrien was wearing that stupid green scarf set again, playing with the pompoms as he held Marinette close, squeezing her until she was giggling. For a moment Chloe saw red, her phone clutched so tightly in her hands that she was a split-second away from smashing it on the floor if it hadn’t been for the fact that it was the newest model and she’d _just_ gotten the rose-gold case for it that she’d wanted. 

That...that… _Insensitive jerk!_ How could he? Chloe didn’t even hear Sabrina trying to talk to her, waving her off as her blood boiled, and the moment the bell rang she was after him. Grabbing him by the collar of his coat, she hauled him out of the class and down the hall, pointedly ignoring his protests or the startled shouts behind them. For once Chloe was glad that being Scarlet Lady had turned her into a complete brute as she threw him into an empty class and slammed the door behind them, pinning him against the wall with one jab of her finger and a glare.

“I cannot believe you! How dare you!” She jabbed him sharply in the sternum, more furious at the way he stared at her wide-eyed as if he had no idea why she was yelling.

“Chloe, what is this about?” He looked like he was trying to escape, but she wasn’t having any of it. That wide-eyed puppy look might have fooled Marinette Dupain-Cheng, but not Chloe, not anymore. After everything they’d been through, she wasn’t about to let him make her look like an idiot again.

“You know exactly what! I thought you were better than this, Adrikins. All that talk about acting like a real hero and telling me how I’m doing things wrong and here you are doing whatever you please the moment you think no one’s going to notice! At least _I’m_ trying, but you disgust me! You’re supposed to be a _role model_ , not a common two-timing, selfish good-for-nothing scumbag in a mask.”

Her fist was clenched so tightly on her hip she could feel her nails biting into her palm, her other fingers digging into Adrien’s chest hard enough that he winced, shifting to try and get away. How could she have liked someone who was willing to treat a girl like that? Let alone be _friends_ with that sort of guy? Chloe couldn’t believe her Adrikins had turned out like this. 

“I might not like her, but Marinette doesn’t deserve to be treated like this, you going around her back and dating another girl at the same time. Does she know?”

Alarm made Adrien’s eyes go wide as he stopped struggling, gaping at her.

“ _What?_ ” He looked like a fish out of water and it only made her want to slap him. Already her palm was itching to. She’d never hit Adrikins before, but if he tried to lie his way out of this his makeup artists were going to lose their minds for his next photoshoot, and his papa could stuff it.

“Don’t play dumb, Adrikins! Does she know you’re with Cutie Bee too or did you think she didn’t need to know?” She was close to transforming and planting her bandalore up his perfect nose, but Adrien was frowning in confusion, searching her face for some sort of clue but still falling short.

“Wh—Chloe, what are you talking about? Marinette _is_ Cutie Bee. Didn’t...didn’t you…” The confused look on his face cleared and he clapped his hand over his mouth as Chloe jerked back from him as if she’d been scalded. A prickling sensation crawled across the inside of her skull and she shuddered, pinching the bridge of her nose to chase it away. For a moment her thoughts were a mess, but Tikki settled firmly under her chin and her fingers dropped to stroke the spot on her kwami’s forehead as she glared up at Adrien.

“ _Fine!_ ” She sniffed, flipped her hair over her shoulder as she regained her composure, still petting Tikki as she stared down her nose at him. “You’re off the hook this time, Adrikins. But if I ever find out that you’ve hurt Marinette, no matter how much she and I can’t stand each other, I will personally find you and teach you a lesson you won’t forget. Do you understand me?” She jabbed him in the chest again, and Adrien winced, rubbing his chest.

“S-sounds good to me, Chlo, but uh, can you please stop poking me?” He was nervous. _Good_. He deserved it after that whole business where he’d looked like he was nearly ready to bite her head off when he accused her of slacking with that akuma in a jar.

“Fine, but don’t think I’m not watching you. Later, Adrikins!” Flicking a loose curl of hair over her shoulder, she cast him a cold glance as she made her way to the door, petting Tikki one last time before her kwami flitted to her bag to hide. Okay, so a part of her had hoped to break Adrikins and Marinette apart, but not even Adrikins would have been worth her time if he’d stooped to _cheating_.

Ugh, just the _thought_ of it disgusted her. Her nose wrinkled in distaste as she checked her manicure, catching sight of Marinette out of the corner of her eye, hovering as usual whenever Adrien was around, and met her gaze with a haughty sniff.

“You win for now, Dupain-Cheng, I still think he’s too good for you.” Her mouth twisted a little as Marinette frowned, and Chloe sighed, dropping her hands to her hips. “But if he ever tries anything funny, let me know and I’ll knock him into next week.” The look of surprise on Marinette’s face was waved off, Chloe’s hand moving to smooth her ponytail back into place.

“Yes, yes, I know he _looks_ harmless, but you can’t really trust boys, can you? Even Adrikins. For a moment there I thought he was cheating on you with someone else, he’s lucky I was mistaken or I’d have skinned him by now. You’re welcome, I know.” She buffed her nails on her cardigan, double-checking that her manicure was unscratched before slipping away to find Sabrina to leave the tacky little bakery bee to fend for herself.

* * *

Marinette watched her go, not at all sure she knew what had just happened. She was still staring wide-eyed after Chloe long after her ponytail had disappeared around the corner and Adrien had found her, though she did notice he was suppressing a shudder.

“Did...did she just _threaten_ you or something?” Marinette glanced at Adrien, who was looking more than a little pale. He ran his hands over his face with a strangled sound of dismay, a shiver rippling down his spine and leaving him tossing his head and leaving his hair sticking out at odd angles. With a soft hum, Marinette raked her fingers through his hair, combing it back into place before she realized she was doing it.

“Y-yeah, more like promised to kill me if she ever found out I cheated on you. It was kind of terrifying. I mean, I’m glad she cares, but I didn’t think she’d care _that_ much. But I should have realized something like this would happen since she knew I was Chat.” He winced, leaning into Marinette’s touch when she reached for his face, her fingers finding the weak spots hidden behind his ears and scratching until his shoulders slumped and his eyelids drooped.

“I’m not sure if I should be worried or flattered, honestly.” Marinette chuckled, bracing herself as Adrien continued to sag until his chin rested on her shoulder and she was rubbing his back. Stifling a soft giggle, she hugged him close, pressing her face into the scarf looped loosely around his shoulders. “Does the cute kitty need protecting from the mean ladybug?”

“ _Cutieeeeeee…_ ” He whined, squeezing her tight as her laughter echoed off the walls of the hallway.

* * *

Marinette was smiling, trying not to laugh as she adjusted the straps of her backpack, all the while Adrien tried to stifle the sudden fluttering in his stomach like a thousand overly excited butterflies were trapped inside him. He’d been planning the day for weeks, already feeling the creep of jangly nerves crawling up his spine that would have sent his tail lashing if he’d been in his suit. 

Would he be able to top their date on Christmas? 

True, the weather had gotten better, but still he fidgeted with his scarf, and rubbed the paw pads on his gloves together as he hovered. In that moment all he wanted to do was buff his face against her, breathe in the honeyed flower scent that clung to her, and soak up her warmth. Still, as much as her house made him feel nervous on days like today, there was an ache to go with her, a need that he had to fight down every time he walked her home. 

“Are you sure you want to come inside? You know what happens when you do.” 

Before he could even answer, the door slammed open and they were staring up at the grinning behemoth that was Tom Dupain.

“There’s my darling and my future son-in-law!” He boomed, and they were snatched up in a hug that left Adrien’s ribs aching as he wheezed with embarrassed laughter.

“ _Papa!_ What did I tell you about that!” Marinette groaned, her complaints falling on deaf ears as she was half-smothered against her father’s chest. Adrien couldn’t even get a word in edgewise, the air squeezed from his lungs from Tom’s enthusiasm.

“Dear, what did I say about letting the boy inside with his ribs intact?” Sabine watched them from the doorway to the bakery, her hands clasped as she shook her head. “You still have two orders of macarons left to bake _and_ that cake for the TV station.” Her gentle reprimand had an instant effect on Tom, who set the pair down gently as he chuckled, though Adrien didn’t escape without a hearty clap on the back that almost had him stumbling. When Sabine was sure Tom had made it back to the shop without getting more distracted by the pair, she turned back to the teens with a warm smile.

“Welcome home, dears. The shop’s still really busy but I left you two some treats in the kitchen. Feel free to help yourselves, and you’re more than welcome to stay as long as you’d like, Adrien.” Giving Marinette a parting kiss on the cheek, Sabine smiled up at Adrien, gently squeezing his shoulder on her way back to the shop to help her husband with the customers. Marinette watched her mother with a soft smile, then grinned up at Adrien, catching his fingers and pulling him with her into the apartment so they could set down their school things.

As they stepped inside his chest ached with a nervous flutter, their apartment was so much like a second home that the tension bled from him as his honey bee hummed a chipper, buzzing little tune as she peeled out of her scarf. With a moment alone with his thoughts, his gaze wandered around their small living space, eventually landing on the family portrait. Funny how he’d gotten to see it first as Chat, and now he could only smile as a tickle of embarrassment crawled through him. 

Just as large and important as their family portrait, a two-panelled photo frame was perched next to it. A picture of Adrien and Marinette framed in the light of a streetlamp like some golden-age cinema shot, her cheeks a delicate rosy color as they were lost in each other’s eyes. He could remember the taste of the cocoa on her lips, the sharp bite of peppermint, how his nose had been chilled from the cold but he had been more focused on holding her tight. 

The second photo was him laughing as they sat on the couch, squeezing Marinette’s cheeks in his gloved hands on Christmas Eve, her face scrunched as she whined in protest even though she’d been laughing moments later. Tom had taken both pictures, and Marinette had groaned when she told Adrien that her papa insisted on showing them to every person that stepped into the apartment. Raving about his future son-in-law even though they weren’t even out of college yet. Adrien had laughed, then pursed his lips as he leaned away, asking her if that meant she _didn’t_ want to marry him. The flustered stammering that had followed had been worth it.

Now he was caught up in her happy warmth, his fingers entwined with hers as she led him to her room to put down their school things before heading out again.

* * *

It wasn’t a rooftop candlelit dinner, true, but wandering the streets of Paris and finding the best street vendors had been well worth it. Too cold for André’s Sweetheart ice cream, Adrien had found crepes, kebabs, and other fancy treats, excitedly rambling about the list of places he’d stumbled over. Marinette had pointed to all the ones she’d been interested in, but hadn’t been able todecide on which one to go to.

So of course it meant they should try all of them, right? 

Adrien hoped she hadn’t heard the way his stomach had rumbled as they dashed through the streets, laughing and jostling each other as they raced past shops swathed in pinks and reds. His honey bee breathed it all in with a happy sigh, her face glowing enough to make him nearly walk straight into a lamp post twice over, her giggles more than enough to make up for the embarrassment as he propped an elbow against the pole and grinned at her, wagging his eyebrows.

The only downside to his plan of ‘try absolutely everything that sounds good’ meant they eventually ended up with more than they could carry. Or rather, more than they could eat at once, especially when the chill air began to set in and left Marinette drowsy, her steps slowing as she began to lean against him for warmth. Apparently the shop owners thought his honey bee’s sleepy snuggling to be particularly precious, and humored him with takeout boxes as he lead her home with a kiss to her bangs and a promise that they’d get out all the extra warm blankets.

* * *

So it wasn’t _exactly_ how he’d planned the day to go. He’d had visions of a picnic on the green with a view of the Eiffel Tower, but bundled up in a pile of blankets and pillows with Marinette tucked against his side as they watched a movie about giant robots battling interdimensional monsters was _just_ as good. If not better. After all, you really couldn’t top hot food, Dupain-Cheng pastries, and a very cuddly Marinette during an action movie. Especially since _this_ movie had _soulmates_. Okay, so they weren’t _technically_ soulmates but they might as well have been, and he ended up excitedly grabbing Marinette’s shoulder and giving her a shake as the main couple battled together.

“Marinette, look! It’s _us!_ ” He beamed, pointing at the blonde on-screen and the tiny woman who was sparring with him. “We’d make the _best_ drift compatible partners!” He grinned, and Marinette had to swallow the bite she’d nearly choked on when he started shaking her. For a moment she was staring at him in confusion, then a blush spread across her cheeks as she stared at the screen. The grin that followed was practically _blinding._

“Yeah, we definitely would, minou.” She giggled, humming softly as she lifted her doner kebab, and he had to resist wiping the sauce from the corner of her mouth. “But what would our jaeger be called?”

“Something _awesome_ of course! Because I’d have you with me, so it would obviously be the best.” He winked, and she sputtered, and he almost missed the way she mumbled that he was cuter than Raleigh was anyway. He couldn’t help the swell of pride and the flush that made even the tips of his ears feel hot, hearing his honey bee flatter him made him want to purr all the harder. Instead, he leaned close and rubbed his cheek against her hair, nuzzling her with a grin.

“Does this mean you’ll be my Mako, Mari?” His smile only grew wider, and he laughed even as she hit him in the face with a pillow as she groaned in mock disgust.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The movie the kids are watching is Pacific Rim! It's about giant robots that are used to fight Godzilla-sized monsters, and each robot takes two people to pilot since they're so big. The pilots have to be "drift compatible" which basically means they have to be really in tune with each other so they can sync up the robot's movements which is a very rare ability so there's very few pilots. The protagonist's name is Raleigh while his partner's name is Mako Mori, which may or may not have been the entire basis for the scene just so I could use Adrien's joke.


End file.
